1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a document managing apparatus and method for managing document data.
2. Description of the Related Art
At present a transition is being made to a system in which large numbers of documents are managed with electronic data serving as original copies. Medical charts are no exception among these documents. Put into electronic form, these can benefit from the promotion of shared use and reductions in archiving space and cost. While the rapid digitization of medical charts per se is sought, on the other hand it is realized that paper, which lends itself to free description, serves as an important interface as a means for efficiently summing up random conversations with a patient, which often do not proceed logically, or as a means for appending additional information such as realistic representations of an affected part. For this reason, the state of the art is such that the digitization of medical charts is difficult.
In order to solve this problem, a method of putting a medical chart into electronic form while supporting free description by using a combination input/display device and pen tablet has been proposed (see the specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-162120). Further, a system in which a paper medical chart is written on and then scanned to thereby archive the chart has been proposed (see the specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-315241).
Although the conventional chart management system of the kind described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-162120 is such that the pen tablet is suited to the drawing of pictures, it does not lend itself to the writing of characters. Further, the system set forth in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-315241 is disadvantageous in that it is not possible to add to or revise paper-based freely written data once it has been stored. For these reasons, a method being studied involves equipping a multifunction peripheral with a sophisticated document management function. With this method, editing is done in the form of a paper document. To achieve archiving and sharing, the paper document is scanned and is managed within the multifunction peripheral as an electronic document.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams useful in describing a method of utilizing the document management function of a multifunction peripheral to carry out editing in the form of a paper document, perform archiving and sharing of documents by scanning the paper document, and managing the document within the multifunction peripheral in the form of an electronic document.
First, reference will be had to FIG. 2A to mainly describe a case in which a medical chart is updated frequently. Here a document handled by a user 2000 is given expression in the form of paper, while a document stored by a multifunction peripheral 2100 is given expression in the form of electronic data. When a paper medical chart A is created by the user 2000, the chart is scanned and stored in the multifunction peripheral 2100 by the user in order to be archived and shared. An electronic medical chart A corresponding to the paper chart is formed by the multifunction peripheral 2100. Next, the user 2000 revises the paper medical chart A, thereby creating a paper medical chart B. In order to archive and share the chart, the user again scans the document and stores it in the multifunction peripheral 2100, thereby forming an electronic medical chart B. At this time the consistency of the electronic medical chart A and electronic medical chart B is judged by the multifunction peripheral 2100 based upon identifying information, and the electronic medical chart A within the multifunction peripheral is updated to the electronic medical chart B. Similar updating is repeated and a paper medical chart C and electronic medical chart C are formed.
Next, reference will be had to FIG. 2B to mainly describe a case where a medical chart is updated infrequently. Here a document handled by a user 2200 is given expression in the form of paper, while a document stored by a multifunction peripheral 2300 is given expression in the form of electronic data. When a paper medical chart A is created by the user 2200, the chart is scanned and stored in the multifunction peripheral 2300 by the user in order to be archived and shared. An electronic medical chart A corresponding to the paper chart is formed by the multifunction peripheral 2300. Thereafter, since no updating is scheduled for some time, the user 2200 discards the paper medical chart A. Next, if it becomes necessary for the user 2200 to edit the chart, then the user 2200 prints out the electronic medical chart A within the multifunction peripheral 2300 and forms a paper medical chart A. The user 2200 then revises the paper medical chart A and creates a paper medical chart B. In order to archive and share the chart, the user 2200 again scans the document and stores it in the multifunction peripheral 2300, thereby forming an electronic medical chart B. Thereafter, since no updating is scheduled for some time, the user 2200 discards the paper medical chart B.
Studies of whether or not the convenience of free description and the convenience of electronification of medical charts are both achieved by using these methods are in progress.
However, when both of the foregoing methods are used together, paper documents and electronic documents are managed in a complicated manner and it becomes difficult to maintain the consistency of electronic medical charts. For example, if a substitute physician makes a diagnosis because the physician in charge is absent, or if the same patient is diagnosed by an intern or supervising physician on the same day, a number of paper medical charts for editing will come into existence, causing difficulty in identifying the latest chart.
FIG. 3 is a diagram useful in describing an example of a case where there are a number of paper medical charts for editing. A document handled by users 3000 and 3200 is expressed in the form of paper, and a document stored by a multifunction peripheral 3100 is expressed by electronic data. First, when a paper medical chart A is created by the user 3000, the chart is scanned and stored in the multifunction peripheral 3100 by the user in order to be archived and shared. Thereafter, since no updating is scheduled for some time, the user 3000 discards the paper medical chart A. Next, if it becomes necessary for the user 3000 to edit the chart, the user 3000 prints out the electronic medical chart A within the multifunction peripheral 3100 and forms a paper medical chart A. Next, the user 3000 revises the paper medical chart A and creates a paper medical chart B. If it becomes necessary for the user 3200 to also edit the chart at the same time, the user 3200 prints out the electronic medical chart A within the multifunction peripheral 3200 and forms a paper medical chart A. Next, the user 3200 revises the paper medical chart A and creates a paper medical chart B*. If the users 3000 and 3200 subsequently attempt to update the electronic medical chart, they will try to scan in their paper medical charts. However, a problem 3300 occurs, namely that the newest paper medical charts cannot be determined.
Thus, as described above, in a method that involves editing in the form of a paper document, archiving and sharing of the document by scanning the paper document and managing the document within the multifunction peripheral as an electronic document, it is difficult to manage medical charts while maintaining consistency among the charts.